A Quality Control Order (QCO) is a mandatory government directive or provision that makes compliance with a specific Indian Standard (IS) legally compulsory for a product category. The QCO is issued by the Central Government under Section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016. The concept gained significant momentum over the last decade, with the number of products covered growing from under 70 in 2016 to nearly 790 by 2025. The primary problem QCOs solve is preventing the influx of substandard goods, protecting consumer safety, and promoting the 'Make in India' initiative by ensuring a level playing field for domestic manufacturers.
The mechanism requires that any product notified under a QCO cannot be manufactured, imported, or sold in India unless it carries the BIS Standard Mark, such as the ISI mark. This necessitates obtaining a license or Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which acts as the certifying and enforcement authority. Various line ministries, such as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), issue QCOs for their respective sectors. Non-compliance with a QCO is a serious offense, punishable by fines and up to 2 years imprisonment.
A significant recent change is the notification of the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 by the DPIIT. This order introduced an alternative risk-based compliance mechanism to facilitate a smoother transition for industry. It allows domestic manufacturers to procure supplies from licensed suppliers under Scheme II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, instead of the more time-consuming Scheme I (ISI Mark Scheme), while still maintaining quality assurance.